This application claims the benefit of German Application DE P 10019029.4 filed Apr. 18, 2000, herein incorporated by reference.
The present invention relates to a device for regulating, i.e., cooling and heating, oil, in particular transmission oil of a vehicle transmission, having a heat exchanger through which the oil flows and to which cooled and/or hot coolant from an internal combustion engine can be supplied through at least one valve controlled by a thermostatic operating element which is immersed in the oil.
A device for cooling the transmission oil of a vehicle transmission is known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,182,749 (European Patent Publication EP 0 916 816 A1). In this construction, a cover, which is fastened on the heat exchanger, has an inlet for coolant for the motor that leads to a coolant opening of the heat exchanger. A valve, actuated by a thermostatic operating element, is disposed between the coolant inlet and the coolant opening. The housing of the thermostatic operating element projects into an oil channel of the heat exchanger.
A device for regulating the temperature of transmission oil is also known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,960,872 (European Patent Publication EP 0 787 929 A2), wherein the housing of a thermostatic operating element is arranged in an oil inlet of a heat exchanger. The work piston of the thermostatic operating element actuates two valvesxe2x80x94one valve which controls the inflow of the cooled coolant to the heat exchanger and a second valve which controls the inflow of non-cooled coolant to the heat exchanger.
The object of the invention is to provide a device for regulating the temperature of oil, particularly transmission oil of a vehicle transmission, that requires as little as possible structural space.
This object is attained by providing a flow control body that can be attached to a heat exchanger in a flange-like manner and which contains an oil channel that can be connected to an oil outlet of the heat exchanger and a housing that encloses a thermostatic operating element whose work piston is connected with a valve housed in the flow control body and disposed between at least one inlet of the flow control body for coolants and a coolant opening to the heat exchanger.
The flange-shaped flow control body of the present invention has a very thin profile. Thus, the present invention can perform the regulation of oil temperature without an extensive structural space being required.
In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the flange-shaped flow control body is designed as a support element of the heat exchanger. In this embodiment, the flow control body can be positioned, for example, between an oil sump of a motor vehicle transmission and the heat exchanger.
In another specific embodiment of the present invention, redundant capabilities are provided to increase the reliability and constancy of the temperature regulation.
Further details, features and advantages of the present invention will be understood from the following disclosure of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.